World Without
by AlElizabeth
Summary: AU. Tag to S.12, E14 "The Raid" Sam makes a decision and although Dean isn't happy about it, he knows he has to protect his brother.
1. Chapter 1

Every fiber in Sam's body fought against the idea of working with the British Men of Letters, especially after what Toni had done to him, all in the name of extracting information on other American hunters… but what Mick had said resonated with him.

A world without monsters.

Sam knew he didn't have to agree with everything the Brits said or even be friendly with them- he didn't think he had it in himself to go that far- but they seemed to truly want an America free of the supernatural.

His mother bringing up Stanford had started the wheels turning in his head, shooting the Alpha Vampire with the Colt cemented it.

Sam knew that nothing could go back to the way it was but if he could give up hunting permanently, without a shadow of a doubt that one day he might be dragged back into the hunt, why not grab for it?

Maybe he could go back to school as a mature student, finish his studies, become a lawyer like he'd always wanted. He could find a nice girl, get married, have a family. Something he'd dreamed of since he was a child.

Turning his gaze to Dean, Sam knew his brother would be reluctant to work with the Brits, adverse to the idea of playing nice with the people who had tortured him but Sam knew Dean and he knew how to talk, what to say to convince his sibling to see things his way.

Sam wasn't happy about his decision exactly, but this wasn't just about what he liked or didn't. If the British Men of Letters really could eradicate the monsters terrorizing the USA like they claimed they could, who was he to say no?

This was bigger than any of them.

This wasn't just for them either but the men and women coming after them whose destinies would be changed by an America without monsters.

Dean couldn't argue with that, could he?

Sam knew he didn't really want to be a hunter, that Dean, like he, was tired. Dean had had a taste of a normal life with Ben and Lisa and although he wouldn't be able to return to them, he could make a new life.

"Dean," Sam spoke his brother's name in a tone that belied nothing of his inner thoughts, holding an ice-cold beer out to his sibling.

The elder Winchester looked up and accepted the beverage. Sam sat down across from him, twisting open the cap on his own bottle.

"We need to talk."


	2. Chapter 2

"I am way too sober for this." Dean stood up from the table.

Sam watched him, unconsciously holding his breath as his gaze followed his sibling out of the main room of the Bunker and towards the kitchen.

Sam sat silently, his mind reeling, grasping at the words he needed to tell his brother.

Dean returned. Two more bottles of beer gripped in one hand. Switching one to his dominant hand, he held the other out to Sam.

The younger Winchester hesitated for a moment before he accepted the offered beverage. Maybe he was way too sober for this conversation as well.

"So you really want to work with the Brits?" Dean asked after taking a gulp of cold beer.

Sam nodded, bringing his own bottle to his lips.

"What made you change your mind?" the elder brother asked, trying to keep his tone even and non-confrontational.

"I was thinking about it and this is bigger than us, Dean," Sam began, "This isn't just about us anymore."

Because Dean had to say it, he did, even though he couldn't deny the hurt look in his brother's eyes after the fact.

"Don't you remember what that bitch did to you? Or have you forgotten all about that?"

Sam set his bottle of beer down, "I remember, Dean."

He answered quietly but then his expression hardened.

"But we can't keep thinking about only us anymore."

Dean waited, taking a sip of his beer as he did so.

"It's about all of us," Sam insisted, "all of the hunters in America.".

"Hm," Dean muttered, giving his brother a look of skepticism.

"Think about it, Dean, what if no one ever had to hunt again? What if a monster killed no one again? The Men of Letters can destroy any monster before it has a chance to hurt innocent people. Don't you want that?"

Dean didn't respond instantly, making his sibling wait.

"What if we didn't have to hunt again?" Sam pressed, taking advantage of the silence.

Dean knew- had known for a long time- that his brother still clung to the dream of having the wife, kids and white-picket fence life, even after everything he had been through. He still wanted a normal life, if only for a short time. Dean had wanted the same once, but now he couldn't imagine living the nine-to-five marital bliss and rugrats his brother wanted.

Unlike Sam, Dean had few marketable skills. Other than ganking monsters, Dean liked to think he was a decent- though not great- cook and he knew his way around a car. But other than that there wasn't much else he could do. He didn't know exactly what would happen in America suddenly became monster-free. He had once walked away from the hunting lifestyle to live the apple pie life with Lisa and Ben but even then the idea of innocent people dying all around him was never far from his mind.

But what if everyone was safe from the things that went bump in the night?

What would he do without monsters to hunt?

"Dean," Sam's voice brought him back, "I don't like them either but if we can help exterminate all the monsters in the country, don't you think it's worth it?"

The elder Winchester finished his beer.

Sam had a point- a really good one- the idea reminiscent to the Trials he had gone through in an attempt to close the gates of Hell forever.

To Dean though, it felt as though the very marrow of his bones was rebelling against letting the British Men of Letters have their way. He had never been across the pond and so had no idea what England was like sans monsters, he didn't know what the Brits were like back on their own stomping ground, nor how hunters were treated- if there were any hunters at all, come to think of it- but Dean did not find himself looking forward to finding out.

"Please," Sam said quietly, nearly whispering, his hazel eyes moist, "I don't want to do this without you… I can't do this without you."

Dean sighed, leaning back in his seat. If his brother was so set on working with the Brits than there was no way to stop him. He did not like the idea of helping the Men of Letters with their plan after what their rogue agent had done to his brother but he liked the idea of Sam working his own even less.

"Damn it," Dean muttered, "Okay, I'll help you out. For you, not for them."

Sam sagged as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders and gave Dean a grateful smile.

Dean didn't return the gesture.

 **Author's Note"**

 **Please take a moment and leave a review if you liked this little two-shot story!**


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